Our Island
by ThereAreMuchWorseGamesToPlay
Summary: How exactly did Annie 'creep up' on Finnick? What was their relationship like? My take on those events. *Disclaimer-Characters and some details belong to Suzanne Collins.*
1. Surprised

Chapter 1

Surprised

I silently enter the Cresta residence, not bothering to knock-I'd rather surprise Annie.

I smile as I see Annie working in the kitchen. I watch her for a few moments, simply taking in her easy movements as she cooks. I can't quite decide what she's making so I sneak up behind her, though, as always, she knows I'm there.

"Guess who?" I challenge putting my hands over her eyes.

She laughs the short trilling giggle that I love to hear. "Well… it's either my sister, or Finnick, and this voice sounds distinctly male, so…. Finnick!" I smile when she guesses right.

"Yes," I chuckle. "Thankfully I sound nothing like Sapphira, so… yes, by process of elimination it's me."

"Finnick!" She smiles widely, twisting around in my arms to hug me. "You're back!"

"Yes, I am." I smile at her.

"How was your trip?" She asks, smiling at me, her green eyes gleaming.

"Very boring. I missed you." I tell her honestly.

"I can't see why. How can I be more interesting than the Capitol?" She's turned back to her cooking and I walk to the other side of the counter and plop down at a chair. She works and I sit at the counter facing her.

"Well, for one, you make me smile."

"Yeah. I am good at that aren't I?" She says, tossing a bit of flour at me causing me to smile.

"Yes, you are. But, secondly, you are just _really _sweet. You have no idea how refreshing it is for me to be around someone like you," I'm on the edge of saying something too serious.

"You mean someone so 'small-minded' right?" She sounds slightly offended at my implication.

"No, silly, I mean someone so caring and concerned with everyone else's feelings not their own. You are a special girl Annie Cresta."

This makes her smile, "You are something. The 'Famous Finnick Odair' who won the Hunger Games at age fourteen just called me special-swoon!" She pretends to fan her face and 'fall' into my arms.

"I do have that effect on the women," I play along with her.

"You'd think, after two and a half years they'd be bored with you." She chuckles at her own joke.

"Yeah, I wish. That's the fourth time I've been to the Capitol in the last two months. I can't stand being so far from the ocean!" _And my two favorite women, _I think silently referring to Annie, of course, and her sister Sapphira.

"I know. It's lonely here without you Fin. It's just me and Sapphira in this house all day and we just sit around thinking, 'where is that annoying eighteen year old victor when you need him?'"

I chuckle at her comment, though I suspect that it's true-at least partway, most likely the part about it being boring around here. After Annie and Sapphira's mom and dad died they haven't had much activity-except for me.

"Ah, yes. And of course I happen to appear at the worst times, am I right. For instance, when you are working on…" I trail off, eyeing her project meaningfully.

"Some cookies." She admits to me. "I'm giving them away at the beach later. There's supposed to be big waves later and you know all the kids come running. They love cookies, and most of them don't have extra money from a _Victor _to let them have cookies… so…"

"See, that's my point. You are so nice."

She looks at me, deviously. "Well, there's that. And it gives me an excuse to go to the beach."

"Well, could you finish this up? I'm dragging you with me to that island we found."

"You mean the island I found, and you later followed me to." She corrects me, scolding me lightly.

"Well, if _that's _how you want to remember it…" Her eyes flash up to my face and she slaps my arm with a wooden spoon.

"That's what happened. That island is where I use to go for peace, until a certain boy discovered it. Ever since he's been crashing my party…"

"Well, fine. If you don't want to go-" She cuts me off quickly.

"I didn't say that. I'll go, but only if Sapphira will take these cookies to the beach for me."

"Hmm. I suppose I could allow that." I pretend to consider her proposal.

"Excuse me Odair, but you don't have a say in my daily routine." I smile at her stubbornness.

"That's why I love you. You're so normal with me. Not to be conceited, but everyone else acts like I'm too good for them or something. I can't even walk outside without people moving out of my way, or getting really quiet around me. I know they want to show respect, but I'm eighteen and it's really weird."

Annie laughs lightly, and her white teeth gleam in the sunlight streaming in the windows.

"You _are _intimidating." She acquiesces me, one eyebrow arched suggestively.

"But I'm still the same Finnick I've been for years." My voice almost cracks, showing her how much the district citizen's behavior impacts me.

She comes around the counter to sit beside me on a barstool. She takes my hands in her small ones and looks me in the eye, "I know that Fin. That's why we're such good friends."

This gets me to smile, and she continues. "Besides, who else would put up with _this_?" She gestures towards me, a playful expression on her face.

"Not many people." I agree with her. "And there's even fewer people that actually like having to see me every day." This makes her smile widely at me.

"I happen to be on that list too."

"I know. Now, bake your cookies."

She turns back to her task and we don't speak for a while I just watch her work quietly.

Some time later, as the cookies bake, Sapphira comes into the house.

"Ann! I'm back!" Annie sighs heavily at the nickname she hates.

"No one lives here by that name!" I yell at Sapphira, making Annie and I burst into laughter.

"Finnick!" Sapphira yells in surprise. She comes into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water. "Where've you been stranger?"

"Around." I reply secretively.

"Not around here evidently. Well, no matter, welcome back Odair." Now she's slipped into habit, not calling me by my first name.

"Thanks Sapph!" I smile at her. At fifteen she has an incredible talent for either making people feel at ease or extremely uncomfortable.

"Hey," Annie says to her sister, "Can you take these down to the beach later? Hand them out for me?"

"Sure, no problem. Where are you lovebirds off to anyways?"

"_Sapphira!_" Annie scolds her sister quickly. She shoots her a look that says 'we are friends, that' all'. She's blushing from embarrassment and surprisingly that makes her green eyes stand out even more.

"What?" Sapphira exclaims, exasperated. Annie just glares at her until she retreats up the stairs.

"Sorry about her," She mumbles to me, looking down at her cookies. "She's desperate for gossip."

"Yeah. It bothers you more than it bothers me. Anyways, I will be back around three to get you. We will have to sneak out of here, but we'll get to our island one way or another."

"Sounds like a plan." She confirms as I head to the door.

A few hours later I go to the Cresta's to meet Annie. I wait in the kitchen until she comes bouncing down the stairs. She's wearing a thin bathing suit cover-up and I can see the halter strap of her simple blue bathing suit around her neck, because the cover-up is strapless. Her hair is pulled into a loose ponytail, and strands of her hair fly all around her face.

She looks like she's ready to have some fun.

"Hey Fin!" She calls to me brightly.

"Hey Annie. You ready?"

"Whenever you are. You're the one who has to brave the masses."

"You got that right." It's a pain being a Victor, really.

We manage to sneak out of her house, and down the beach without being spotted. We walk side by side until I look out into the ocean and see the huge black rocks protruding out of the water in deadly spires.

"Ready?" She asks me, her green eyes dancing with anticipation.

"Of course." I would imagine my expression is similar to hers: excitement.

She slips the cover-up off, leaving it on the sand and dives into the water. I toss my shirt onto her cover-up and follow her lead, diving into the water.

The waves are large, but we manage them easily, making good time in the water. The ocean is cool, refreshing, but not cold enough to do us any harm if we stay in too long. Besides, right now the sun is shining brightly.

When we reach the first rock we're hundreds of feet from shore. Logically we should have been in deep-very deep-water, but we could both still touch here. We take a right at the first rock, and I follow her careful lead as she navigates us to her hidden paradise.

Overall, the swim is only five blissful minutes, but the island is so peaceful that I'm just as content on the land as I am in the water-for once.

"Ahh…" Annie sighs, as she stretches her limbs out on the soft sand of the hidden island.

"This is nice." I comment, settling beside her. "Away from everything."

"Everyone." She chimes in.

"Yes. Well, except _you_. But I can tolerate you. After all, you have given me access to this paradise."

"Yeah. Besides I'm your best friend, you have to tolerate me."

I prop myself up on my elbow so I'm facing her. "It's not hard to tolerate you. You know that right? I really do love being around you. Sometimes, you are almost too understanding."

"Well… I'm not sure if that's possible."

"I think it suits you perfectly. Annie Cresta you are, simply put, the best friend I could ever have asked for."

And then, all too quickly, Annie leans forward pressing her soft lips to mine.

* * *

**Hey! I'm thinking this may turn into a full story, but I'm not 100% sure yet. Let me know what you think. This is just my take on how Annie 'crept up' on Finnick. (the beginning anyways) :)**

**Hope you liked it, **

**R&R**


	2. How We Met

Chapter 2

How We Met

She pulls away quickly, her green eyes on the sand, not my face, and she's blushing wildly.

I sit there, momentarily paralyzed in shock. This is _not _what I expected from Annie. I'm not sure how I feel about this turn of events.

Suddenly her sister's easy teasing takes on a new meaning; maybe she knows something I don't. Or I didn't-past tense.

"Sorry," Annie mumbles. It's obvious that she didn't expect that. Me either.

"It's ok." What else can I say? Not a whole lot.

"I uh…" She's got nothing. Me neither.

"Um…" I seriously can't form a coherent thought at the moment. I'm in shock.

"I just… uh. I really have no idea what to tell you. That kind of just… happened." Well, I suppose that's one way of putting things.

"Yeah..." Once again I have nothing to say.

"I suppose that was one way of me showing you that sometimes I can be selfish." I'm confused by her explanation.

Apparently my expression mirrors my confusion.

"I just mean that I _may_ have more than one reason for wanting to be around you all the time. I monopolize your time, and you let me."

"I don't really have many other people to hang out with. There's you, Annie, and Mags. That's where the list stops."

"Well, even before the games, I felt bad. You were always with me and… I uh… I kind of started to like you." She smiles a little. "I know it's stupid but, I just-I don't know. And then, after your games I couldn't exactly be like 'yeah lets get together.' Obviously Finnick Odair the ladies man couldn't just have a girlfriend. So… I never told you."

"Oh," I'm seriously confused now, and even worse, I'm not sure how I feel about Annie-_that_ way.

"Yeah… listen I didn't mean to make this like, _super _awkward." I have to laugh at this, because that's exactly what she's done. "It was kind of like my head disconnected from my body. So… I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You just surprised me." That's an understatement. Nothing has ever been romantic between us, so I never would have expected this.

"You and me both. Anyways, I don't want you to avoid me now, or anything. I know we're just friends… so yeah." Leave it to Annie to dispel a strange situation in her 'Annie-like' manner.

"I couldn't avoid you Annie, you're my only real friend."

"That's not true, you have Mags."

I chuckle at her statement, "Well, she's more like a grandmother to me. She's too wise to be a friend. She wouldn't let me do half the stupid things you let me get away with."

Annie giggles, and turns to me. "I don't let you do stupid things."

"Excuse me," I protest easily, "Yes you do."

"Yeah? Name one." It's a challenge that's easily met.

"You're the one who said it would be a good idea to play a prank on your sister." I shudder at the memory-revenge is a powerful thing especially when Sapphira is the one behind it.

"In my defense I didn't know how evil my little sister was. She _seems _innocent enough."

"But she's not. And, so, I rest my case: you let me do stupid things."

"Fine, fine. But you can't really say that letting you do stupid things makes me your friend."

"Letting me do stupid things is what makes you fun. A non-Annie would force me to use my head. That wouldn't be fun at all."

"Of course, what would life be without you causing trouble in the district?"

"My thoughts exactly." I echo her statement-though she meant it as a joke.

"Life would really be boring without you around Fin."

"It's my job to entertain people."

"Well, you manage to do that." She smiles at me warmly.

We drop off into an easy silence, both of us thinking about different things. Or maybe the same things. I'm trying to sort out my feeling for Annie. She's my best friend-that's certain, but could I think of her like _that_? Do I thi1nk of her like that?

She's definitely pretty, with her long hair and green eyes, and we know each other as well as we know ourselves, but… Unfortunately I can't think of a 'but' to add to that sentence. I could imagine being with her _that _way, and I could see myself being really happy. The only problem with that plan would be the Capitol. Whatever relationship we would have-in theory-would have to be a closely guarded secret.

So, I suppose my conclusion is that I _do _like Annie. Really like her. It's odd that _she _was the one who had to notice it first. Now it seems so obvious. We're a perfect couple really, if you overlook the fact that I'm nowhere near good enough for her. I've murdered innocent (and some non-innocent) children, and she's so perfect.

I remember when I first got back to 4 after my games. She didn't treat me differently at all. She acted as if everything was the same as always. That's part of the reason I love her. She gave me a big hug and said 'welcome home Fin,' with a huge smile on her face. I remember standing there, wondering how she could stand to be near me-knowing what I'd done in that arena.

I decide to ask her, because why not? Apparently I'm trying to make this as awkward as possible today.

"Why didn't you ever treat me differently?" I blurt out-obviously I've forgotten to use transitions.

"Umm… you mean after your Games?"

I just nod.

"Why would I? What was I supposed to say, 'I'm sorry you're back'? I wasn't, I was so happy you were back, in one piece, and looking as good as ever."

"I killed people. On live television. Didn't that bother you at all?"

"No." I can tell by the tone of her voice that she's not joking.

"Why not?"

"Because that wasn't _you _Finnick. That was who the Capitol wanted you to be. That wasn't _my best friend_ Finnick. The person that came back to 4, that was my friend Finnick. I didn't like what happened in the arena, but that didn't mean I was going to abandon my friend. I was there for you, just like you would have been there for me had our situations been reversed.

You wouldn't have abandoned me. You would have welcomed me back with your easy going nature and your brightest smile. Not to mention your humor. You wouldn't have treated me any differently; I knew that, so the least I could do to help you heal was to treat you the same way as always."

"Thank you." Her words have actually made me understand her better. "Annie?"

"Yes?"

"When was the last time you made a decision based on what was best for you?"

She blushes and looks at the sand-not meeting my gaze. "I don't know what you mean."

"You do what's best for everyone else, when do you do things that are the best for you?" Her eyebrows pull together in confusion.

"I don't. At least, not when the choice affects anyone other than me." She smiles sadly. "Besides when my family members, or friends," She adds smirking at me. "Are happy, I'm happy."

I sit quietly for a moment, just thinking. I don't know how someone as intensely good as Annie ended up hanging out with me. And, suddenly, I have another question for Annie.

"Annie, do you remember when we met? I mean, exactly what was said?"

"Yes, why? Don't you?"

"I know we met at the beach, but I don't remember what we talked about. Tell me about it."

"Hmmm… well, I guess we didn't really meet until you 'accidentally' ran into me when I was collecting seashells like the innocent eleven year old that I was."

"Why, 'accidentally'?" I add emphasis to the word, because I don't remember running into her.

"I'm pretty sure it was on purpose." Annie shrugs. "Anyways, you knocked me over, and mumbled something that sounded like 'sorry' and you turned back to your friends-I can't remember who they were.

"I turned to you and said, 'You could watch where you're going you know.' That made you laugh, and turn around. Then you said, 'I actually am sorry. I'm Finnick," And you waved at me in your goofy eleven year old Finnick way."

"That fast huh?" I question her skeptically.

"Lets face it Fin-you never were shy."

"I'll give you that," I allow graciously.

"Anyways, I said, 'I'm Annie, nice to meet you.' And I waved back. Then I turned to go swimming-I didn't want to collect shells anymore-and you followed me."

"I do remember that. I said, 'So, Annie, can you swim?'"

"And I looked at you like you were an idiot."

"But then you said, 'I hope so, otherwise getting into this ocean must make me suicidal. Please don't tell my parents.' You had the most believable expression on your face, and I swear I believed you for a second."

"Yes, but then you laughed. And I remember you saying-I'm one hundred percent positive this is what you said, 'I'll keep your secret Annie.'" She finishes the story with so much conviction that I can't doubt her. "And that, Finnick Odair, is the _exact_ story of how we met." She gives me a soft smile.

"I remember that, now." I tell her, because the story reminded me of that day.

We became fast friends, and after an afternoon at the beach together Annie said she was going somewhere, and that she'd see me 'later'. Then she swam from the beach, to her island, with me following her-in secret of course.

When she saw me in the water she turned from the beach on her island and said, "Finnick-! Wait, what's your last name."

"Odair." I told her with a smile.

"Finnick Odair! You were _not _supposed to follow me here! This is my spot!" She looked a little too happy for me to take her seriously. Looking back, I know she's always been a people person, so it's not surprising that she'd wanted a friend on her island.

But at the time I just told her, "Don't worry, I'll keep this secret too."

And just like that, we were best friends.

* * *

**Hey! How was that chapter? What did you think, please let me know either by review or PM. The more feedback I get the more I write... anyways, I have some big plans for these two. They are just too cute to leave alone. Give me suggestions too if you have them, because I would try my hardest to work them in somewhere. If you want to suggest something I ask you send me a PM so it's still a sort of surprise for readers-even if they read the reviews. Anyways... thanks for reading :)**

**R&R**


	3. Glass

Chapter 3

Glass

I look up at the sky after some endless amount of time. I see that the sun is setting, but only slightly. Annie shifts beside me.

"Probably time to head in," She comments reading my mind. "I still have to cook, you know."

I chuckle lightly. "Whenever you get tired of cooking we can always make Sapphira play chef."

"Have you ever tasted her cooking? Honestly, I'd rather not eat for a night." She giggles lightly. "On the bright side I'm not sick of cooking for you two yet. It's a good thing too, without me you're both hopeless."

"I will willingly admit that."

"Good. Otherwise I'd reconsider doing everything for you."

She sighs lightly, and I agree with her-silently. I don't want to go anywhere; I want to stay right here, for a long time.

"Alright," She says using her arms to shove her body upward. She wobbles slightly and gives a breathy laugh. "And… that's how I know I've been sitting in one position for too long. I loose all sense of balance."

"Oh, Annie."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, let's go. Race you to the beach."

"Fine, but only if you play fair." I know this in unlikely.

"Fine. I promise that I will not cheat Fin."

"Good."

She stretches her muscles preparing for the long swim.

"Ready?" She turns to me, only now do I realize I've been staring. Oops.

"Yeah," I say with a sheepish smile, embarrassed.

"Ok." And we both dive into the water.

In ten seconds she has the lead-securely. I doubt I could win now if I tried. I'm staring through salt water and it's burning my eyes, so I just close them and accept the loss.

It turns out that I'm right, and I do lose-by a good hundred feet.

When I reach the beach Annie already has her cover up on her slim figure and she's ringing the salt water out of her hair.

"You beat me." I accuse her. "By a lot. You've been holding out on me."

"Not really." She shrugs nonchalantly. "I've been practicing while you were away."

"Nicely done. Not many people can claim a win against me."

"I know, and that's precisely why I did it." Her smile is smug, but caring.

"Ok, ok, lets go get some food, I'm hungry."

"Sure thing." She turns her attention back to the beach and we walk side by side back to her house.

"Sapph? You here?" She calls into the big house.

"Mmm… uh… yeah?" Sapphira's voice rings throughout the house loudly.

"What are you doing? You hungry?"

"Uh… sure." She sounds… odd.

"Sapphira is everything ok?" Annie is using her 'motherly' tone now.

"Yeah," She says, bounding down the stairs. "I just have a headache."

"You took those cookies down to the beach?" Annie asks, her heart only half in the question, as she's begun to focus on dinner.

"Yeah. The kids loved them. They all said 'Thanks Annie,'" She smiles.

"Annie?" I question. "You were the one handing out free cookies and they thank your sister?"

"Yeah, they all know I wouldn't just show up and give away cookies. Heaven knows I'm not that patient." She laughs self-depreciatingly.

She seems altogether too jumpy, and she's trying too hard to sound normal. Something's going on. She tries to discreetly make her way into the living room, but I'm following her.

"Watching television?" I ask plopping onto the couch of my second home here at the Cresta's.

"No. Not really." She's just staring out the window.

I flick on the T.V. knowing that Annie will be curious if it's too quiet in here.

"Sapphira," I hiss, in a tone I rarely use. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I swear. Nothing." She looks like she means it, but I don't believe her. The girl's a scam artist.

"Listen, I trust you. I do. But I need to know what's going on. Don't make me involve your sister."

"Oh goodness! The Annie threat." She puts her palm over her mouth in mock horror.

"Sapphira I'm serious. Tell me what's going on."

"It's nothing. I'm serious. Go talk to Annie or something. Heck, go search my room if you want to." She waves away my concerns and pretends to be enthralled by a strand of her hair.

I sigh and get up from the couch. It's obvious that this is getting me nowhere. Plan b: Annie. I settle onto a barstool in front of where Annie is working.

"Hey Annie." I say, leaning across the counter to speak more confidentially.

"Yes?" Annie doesn't take her eyes off her work. She's preparing a batch of the green tinted rolls we have here in 4 to put into the oven.

"What's going on with your sister?" I'm worried that Annie has been letting her get away with too much.

She laughs her trilling giggle, the noise filling up the kitchen. "She thinks I don't know." She says almost to herself. "I _think _she has a little boyfriend. Well… no I guess 'I think' implies a certain sense of guessing-I know." She giggles again.

"Well that's better than what I was imagining."

"Oh?" She has a way of not saying much that makes you talk more than you'd planned to. I love that she doesn't pry.

"Yup. But… uh, why was he up in her room?" I ask with a certain sense of trepidation.

"Well… I could say that they were doing homework or something, but come on Fin who am I kidding? Do you really want to know? I'm just glad she came down fully clothed." She giggles again.

"Aren't you concerned at all?"

Her green eyes bore straight into mine. "Not really." My expression must be enough to convey my reaction. "Come on Fin, Sapphira is a smart girl. Not only that, but you know first hand what happens to guys that cross her. She knows what she's doing."

I'm still skeptical, but Annie is completely focused on the fillets of fish she's searing in her pan.

"Besides, I met him before-well, I think it was him-and he's a nice guy. It's clear that he adores her. I'm happy for them."

"Hmmm…" I'm thinking about what Annie has said.

Annie shoves my shoulder lightly, "Look at you, going all 'older brother' on her. This is a side of you, Finnick that I've never seen before."

I chuckle a little at her comment. "Yeah…"

"It's sweet. But I think we both know Sapphira is perfectly capable of taking care of herself." Annie shakes her head, a smile playing at her lips. "I wouldn't dare hurt her if I were this mystery boy."

"Mystery boy? I thought you met him."

"I did. Sort of. I don't know his name."

"Oh." I'm speechless again. "You'd think I was gone for a month." I mumble lightly. I leave for a week and come back and bam! Sapphira has a boyfriend.

"Nope." Annie amends my thought. "Just a week. A lot changes in a week."

"Like what? What else?" I'm wondering why her tone is a little more reserved now.

"I just have this… feeling. I don't know. Call it women's intuition or whatever, but there's something going on Fin."

I search her face nervously, but I refrain from yelling 'with what!?'

"It's the peacekeepers. They're more tense than normal. They're whispering more. No one else knows what's going on either."

"I don't like it." I say. I'm going to be paying more attention on my next visit to the Capitol that's for sure.

"No one does. But… Finnick something is seriously wrong. And with the reaping right around the corner I don't think it bodes well for anybody." She casts a worried glance at the living room and I know she's thinking of her sister.

Because it'd be too hard for her to think of herself for once. She's remarkable.

"I'm sure it's fine." I lie easily, trying to reassure her.

She glares at me. "Finnick Odair, don't you know better than to lie to me?"

I squirm under her heavy gaze, "Oops." I mutter. Forgot she has a built in lie detector.

"It's not ok and you know it." She flips the fish fillets over in the pan and listens to them sizzle. "But I suppose there's no sense worrying about it now."

She's right. The reaping is another two months away, but at this moment it seems much closer than I'd like it to be.

Annie grabs three plates from the cupboard and hands them to me, pulling out silverware and dropping it on the ceramic plates with a clang. She juts her chin toward the table and I nod.

I set the plates out and I head into the living room to retrieve Sapphira.

"Hey, Sapphira, dinner's ready."

"Perfect!" She chirps jumping up from her place on the couch.

Annie comes close to the table with her searing pan. She gives us each some fish, and some of the district 4 bread. The whole kitchen smells like home, and I love it. She also gives us each some salad greens.

She sets the now empty pan in the sink and returns to her food.

We all eat in silence for a few bites before Sapphira decides to speak up. "Where have you been irritating people Odair?" She asks in her typical sassy way.

"Hmmm… well, that's a tough one." I pretend to think. "I started in the Capitol, but at some point they kicked me out and shipped me back here on a train." I smile at her. "That answer your question?"

"Perfectly." She smirks at me, because we've perfected our dinnertime banter.

"So, what are you up to these days Sapphira? Terrorizing the unsuspecting townsfolk?"

"Kind of…" She says in her normal secretive tone. "It was minimal terrorizing… well, one person may be permanently affected, but there was no bodily harm."

"That's good."

"Sapphira, did you turn in that assignment I helped you with?" Annie asks a bit rushed.

"Yeah, by the way, you _were _right."

"I told you!" She says triumphantly.

"She did." Sapphira confirms looking at me. "But she also told me that I should do my work by myself."

"Hey!" Annie protests. "In my defense you didn't even try. All you did was yell down the hall with a question like 'Annie how would one distinguish an edible sea plant from a non-edible one?' and I answered-without thinking."

"Well it's not my fault I don't want to do the stupid work. It's pointless."

"Is not. You need to know some of that stuff."

"Yeah, yeah. But I need to know how to talk to people too. Hence you helping me." She argues weakly.

I have to laugh. "Sapphira, if there is one thing you've mastered it's talking to people."

She flashes her evil smile at me again, before putting her empty plate in the sink.

Then, as she approaches the hall leading to her bedroom she calls, "Believe me, I _know._"

I chuckle and turn to Annie. " That's going to be a problem."

She just sighs.

"Dishes tonight?" I inquire, looking out into the now dark night sky, with the stars trying to break through the overcast clouds.

"Nah. Not in the mood." She wanders out the back door, her eyes trained on the sky, seeing the stars as well.

"It's so pretty out here." She comments in awe.

"Always is." I agree with her quietly.

She continues walking down to the beach. I'm thankful at times like this that her house literally sits on the beach leading up to the ocean.

The sand is cool, and we're both barefoot. There's a cool ocean breeze that blows Annie's hair out around her face and her green eyes stand out in the moon's light. The clouds are blowing out of the sky, and to my surprise the moon is almost full tonight.

Annie lies down in the sand, and I lay beside her. "This is beautiful."

"Yes." I agree with her. The stars stand out against the navy of the night sky.

For a few minutes we lay side by side in a comfortable silence, both of us communicating without words. When Annie props her weight up onto her elbows I follow suit.

"As much as I would love to stay out here all night, I do have dishes to wash."

"I'm helping." I say, and I pull her to her feet.

The walk up the beach to her house takes less than thirty seconds, and we make it into the kitchen in no time. She heads straight for the sink and I don't protest. She runs water into the pan and over the plats while I bend down peering into the cabinet to grab a washcloth.

Then I see a smear of red on the floor. It _looks _like blood, but I don't think we're bleeding. I look a little ways back and see that there's a blood trail coming from the back door to where we're standing now.

"Annie…" I say, my voice tight, and she turns to eye me speculatively. "Look," I point at the blood trail.

"You or me?" she questions.

"You I think."

"Oh." She shrugs and walks over to a chair beside the kitchen table and sits down.

She pulls her left foot into her lap, examining it, but she quickly puts it down. Then she pulls up her right foot, only to be met with a stream of blood coming from the wound.

I fight back the memories that threaten to overcome me at this moment, because reliving my games, and my tributes games won't help Annie. Won't help Annie. Won't help Annie. Will it? No.

Focus Finnick.

By the time I can see straight again, past the blood and to Annie, she's holding up a piece of glass that's covered in blood. She's examining the wound, but she quickly glances up at me.

"Oh, Finnick." I'm not sure what expression is on my face at the moment, but Annie sets the glass on the table and comes over to where I'm standing-stoic like a statue. She wraps her arms around me tight, as if she's trying to hold me together, and says, "I'm sorry."

And only then do I realize she's done it again. Cared for everyone but herself.

* * *

**Hey! This is longer than my other two chapters, and I really got into it. I love these characters and I am going to be posting as much as possible. Please let me know what you think, and what you think I should add to the story. Thanks for your reviews and your follows and favorites. Each and every one makes me smile. **

**Thanks, **

**R&R**


	4. You're Staying Here

Chapter 4

"You're Staying Here"

"I'm fine Annie," I'm lying and we both know it, but she steps away from me nonetheless.

"Sure you are Fin." She goes over the cabinet and pulls out a new washcloth. She dampens it with warm water from the sink and returns to her seat at the kitchen table. She pulls her injured foot into her lap again and wipes it clean with the cloth. It's not a long cut, but it's deep into the sole of her foot.

She holds the washcloth there for a moment and pauses, thinking. "Sapphira!" She calls to her sister.

"Yeah?" The response is muffled.

"I need your help out here!"

"Just a sec!" And I hear Sapphira's footsteps approaching the kitchen,

"What's up?" Sapphira is confused.

"I need you to clean up this blood trail for me. Ok?"

"Yeah… but who's bleeding?" She looks at me skeptically.

"Me." Annie answers, "Stepped on some glass." She shrugs.

"Oh. Yeah, I got this. Go fix yourself up."

"Thanks Sapph." And Annie makes her way to the bathroom down the hall.

For a few seconds Sapphira doesn't say anything, she simply focuses on wiping the small smudges of blood off the floor.

"Well don't just stand there, go check on her or something." Sapphira says condescendingly.

I just nod at her and head towards the bathroom Annie ducked into. I knock on the door, and Annie's muffled response tells me I can come in.

"Oh, hey Fin." She says smiling at me sweetly.

"You ok?" I question her, though I know she's not.

"Yeah. I cleaned it up and I bandaged it. Just cleaning up now."

"You're a neat freak. You know that, right?"

"Hmmm…" Is her vague response.

I lean against the doorframe of the bathroom and watch as she washes the blood out of her washcloth. It's gruesome to say I stood here watching the red swirls of blood drain down the sink, but I do. Because I'm completely frozen, as flashbacks that I can't fight away this time encompass my mind.

I'm not sure how long I stand there, reliving every horrifying event in my 17 years of life, but I do know that at some point I made it to the Cresta's couch, because when I finally come to my senses that's where I am.

"Sapphira?" I question, though my voice sounds like I've been asleep.

I see Sapphira turn toward me groggily, as if she's wishing she were asleep.

"Hey. Look who's back…"

"What?"

"You've been staring at the ceiling for three hours now."

"What time is it?"

"3 AM. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to go wake up Annie-"

"No, Sapphira just let her sleep."

"Not wise, Odair. There are few things my sister says that she takes seriously, and if you had seen her face when she told me to wake her up… trust me you wouldn't be arguing."

I laugh lightly because that _is _something Annie would do. "How late was she up?"

"She literally stayed here until ten minutes ago, and I _forced_ her to get some sleep. You have the _worst _timing."

"Oops." I feel bad now, because Annie is going to be dead on her feet tomorrow.

"Yeah, oops." Sapphira grumbles on her way to wake Annie.

I hear some talking in the bedroom and then Annie's footsteps approaching the couch I'm laying on.

"From here it appears we need a larger couch," Annie comments, her voice light. "With you laying on it the poor thing looks so miniscule."

I laugh.

"You're back." She says quietly. Sounding intensely relieved.

"I suppose so. What happened?"

"You totally spaced out, wouldn't move. It was like you couldn't see or hear anything happening in the present." She shudders a little at whatever she's remembering. "So, I called Mags and she said try to get you to relax-which didn't work-or to get you to lay down somewhere-which took half an hour. Then all she could tell us was not to let you be alone when you 'snapped out of it', and yes, those were her exact words."

"Oh, what a night, huh?"

Annie smiles. "I'm sure it was for you. Are you ok Finnick? Like, really ok?" Her tone is more serious than usual, and I know this isn't a joking matter.

How to answer that question… "Yeah." If her definition of ok includes reliving not only your hunger games, but also your tributes hunger games, all in one night. Somehow I don't think it does.

"You know what I mean." She says quietly.

"What?" I'm dumbfounded by her response.

"Whatever snide remark you were making in your head, that's not my idea of 'ok'".

Now I have to laugh, "This is the down side of having you know me so well."

"What? That you can't lie to me? What a shame…"

"No, I just can't pretend everything is all right."

"No you can't. And I can't pretend to understand what you're going through right now. But I do have the authority to tell you that you can't leave this house tonight. So, we have a spare bedroom or there's this couch. Take your pick, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Annie-" I start to protest but she cuts me off.

"I don't want to hear it Fin! I'm tired and cranky, you're staying here." And she disappears into her room-but not before I hear her laughter, because this is just absurd.

I join in and laugh quietly, before deciding that, rather than fight with Annie, I'll just stay here on the couch. I can still hear Annie moving around in her bedroom, and she returns with a spare blanket.

"Forgot to give you this." She tosses the quilt at me, and smiles. "Good night Fin,"

"Thanks Annie. Good night."

And, in the next two minutes I manage to fall asleep.

* * *

**To make up for the insanely long wait I am posting TWO chapters in one night, so please read the next authors note on chapter 5. Thanks, and please review-as always!**

**Thanks, **

**R&R**


	5. Sapphira's Skill

Chapter 5

Sapphira's Skill

I open my eyes, and find myself staring at the Cresta's ceiling. Now, you'd think, after two weeks in an arena, one would lose their grogginess in the morning, but apparently not, because it takes a moment for me to remember the events of last night.

"Morning Odair." Sapphira acknowledges my consciousness first, from her position on the adjacent couch.

"Hey," My voice is thick with sleep, and I quickly become alert to my surroundings. There's sun streaming through the windows, and I smell something coming from the kitchen, so I assume Annie's cooking breakfast. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing. I slept until 8, and Annie was up at 7. I swear the girl is running on _maybe _four hours of sleep-if she stopped worrying about you" Sapphira throws a very pointed glare in my direction, "long enough to close her eyes."

"Don't give me that look." I chide her playfully, though I can't disagree with her about Annie needing sleep. It makes me worry about her.

"I will give you any look I want to. In fact I have some looks _especially _reserved for you, Odair."

I don't doubt that, if anyone has perfected the 'Finnick you're an idiot,' glare it's Sapphira. Even Annie doesn't have that one down; she just has her silly 'not again,' face that she uses on me.

"Is he awake Sapph? Or are you talking to yourself?" Annie's voice, and following laugh emerge from the kitchen.

"He's awake alright." Sapphira is eyeing me in an odd way and I can't help but chuckle. With Sapphira, you never _really _know what she's thinking.

"Hey," Annie uses a soft, comforting tone as she enters the room, with a smile on her face-typical Annie.

"Morning." I search her face with my eyes and I am displeased when my suspicion has been confirmed by the dark rings under her eyes, "I have reliable sources that tell me you haven't slept enough." My tone is clearly disapproving.

Annie shoots a warning look at her sister, who promptly focuses on something outside the front window.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine on little or no sleep. Remember the one year when the district lost power in the winter storm?"

I think back to the three day black out. "Of course I remember. That was one of the worst power outages in 4!"

"Exactly. Now, at the time I was twelve, approximately, and Sapphira was ten. She completely panicked and I had to keep her busy, _for three days._ Safe to say I got all of six hours of sleep during that time. So, I'm sure I can handle one long night."

Count on Annie to dismiss all concerns for her health.

Then another thought occurs to me, "Did anyone tell my mom where I was?" Not that I think she'd really notice my absence, but I feel like she should at least know where her only son is.

"When I talked to Mags she said you mom was doing fine, but she is under the impression you have yet to return from your Capitol business." Annie pauses, as if carefully selecting her words. "I think it's best if… we only tell your mom so much Finnick. She's fragile and she worries about you so much." Annie doesn't continue.

However if she had, she would have said something along the lines of, "Well, really she just worries you've abandoned her/ and or decided to keep secrets from her/and or decided to leave her alone forever." See the pattern?

Annie's right when she says my mother can only take so much. Stress doesn't help with her Borderline Personality Disorder. She's not exactly stable, and with her only child off in the Capitol 'wooing all the women'-her words not mine-she says all she does is worry.

I have other theories, because she's befriended a few peacekeepers that have… connections, to certain illegal substances. Knowing 'classified' information comes with the 'victor' title.

When I'm away Mags keeps an eye on her, but there's only so much 'help' you can give an adult woman who insists she doesn't need any assistance. I love my mother to death, but she's probably the most stubborn person I've ever met-even if we know what's best for her-and she's fiercely independent.

"Yeah I know. Just didn't want her worrying, or, you know, tearing apart the district looking for me."

"Yeah, about that," Sapphira isn't one for subtle comments like Annie. "Why is _this _always the _last _place she looks. There's like, what? Three places you go? Here, your house, Mags house. Oh! And that island, so that's four. Four places, but she doesn't ever check anywhere you might actually be. Doesn't make sense to me."

"Sapphira!" Annie's using her scolding tone, making me think that she believes her younger sister has crossed some figurative 'line'. Fortunately, it takes a lot to offend me.

"No, Annie, she's right. My mother seems to lack a certain…" I can't phrase it correctly, so Sapphira offers her opinion.

"Common sense? Deductive reasoning? Process of elimination?" I can't help but chuckle, because, as always, Sapphira is spot on. That's essentially my mother.

"Pretty much, yeah." I agree.

"Finnick! She's your mother; she does her best. And I hate to break it to you but, quite honestly, your mother is one of the most ingenious people I know. If she had a the proper job, for her specific abilities, she could do something really amazing."

"Yeah, in a perfect world." Sapphira is quick to dismiss the notion, no matter how true the statement may be.

Sapphira, though she's young, has a very unique perspective on the world we live in. She, not only sees the oppression, and inequality in Panem, but she also possesses the rare quality to be able to say exactly what she sees in the world, in a way that feigns ignorance. Such a talent is so rare, so incredibly rare, but so useful in this world where knowing too much can get you killed in an instant.

It's quite remarkable, some of the things she can say, in the direct presence of peacekeepers that fly 'under the radar' so to speak. She's sly, cunning, and decisive with her choice or words, or comments, because she sees what most people don't: the consequences following even the smallest errant comment.

We all know that Panem is not perfect. Panem may be about as far from a perfect world as we've ever possibly gotten as a part of the human race. However, few of us can say what Sapphira has just said aloud—what we all know to be true—in such an off hand way, that makes her appear to be a snarky teenager full of snide remarks.

I chuckle at her comment, happy to add weight to Sapphira's comment, making it seem even more innocent. "I suppose the world would be perfect if we found my mother a job for her 'specific abilities'."

Annie is no idiot, and she clearly caught the hidden meaning in her little sister's comment, but she reacts in contrast to what I would expect from her. There's a hint of pride in her expression and I can't help but think that Annie is proud of her sister's boldness, and her uncanny ability to say what's on her mind in an almost encrypted manner.

"Anyways," Sapphira interjects, changing the topic of our discussion. "How are you feeling Odair?"

"Fine." I get two looks that both effectively communicate the phrase, 'you've got to be kidding me.' "Much better than last night."

"No kidding. Doesn't take a nuclear scientist to figure that out. Last night you were totally screwed up. It's not good."

Again I pick up on the double implication. She's essentially saying, 'It's not _right_ that the Games messed you up.' And she mentioned a 'nuclear scientist' who would make everyone in 4 think of district 13, which supposedly was the Capitol's source of nuclear technology. All of this, mentioned by an amazingly intelligent fifteen year old, seemingly in passing.

"It's not," I agree cautiously. "But it's nothing too serious. Just something I have to deal with."

"Seems more like the word would be 'endure'." Her comments are getting less and less encoded, so I decide to let the conversation drop, before Annie burns a hole in her sister's head-with her eyes.

"You should have something to eat," Annie suggests quietly.

"It smells great Annie, really, but I'm just not hungry."

"Thirsty?" She tried with a hopeful expression.

"Sure Annie."

She disappears into the kitchen for a moment and I hear cabinets being opened and closed.

"Hey Ann! Bring me something too, would you?"

Somehow I don't think she will. Sometimes I wonder if Sapphira knows just how much Annie hates that nickname.

Contrary to my guess, Annie returns with two glasses of water, and she hands one to me.

I wait for her to give Sapphira the other, but instead she sits down, glass in hand, and carefully raises it to her lips. She takes an exaggerated drink and sits beside Sapphira, in a blatant attempt to provoke her.

Though, surprisingly Sapphira avoids confrontation-perhaps the reason behind her subtle way of speaking her mind-and doesn't give Annie much of a reaction at all. It occurs to me, briefly, and with strong conviction that Sapphira knew how her sister would respond to such a comment, and she was delicately making sure her sister got something to drink.

It wouldn't surprise me, because Annie is unwilling to be cared for, if Sapphira has taught herself what cues would result in Annie doing one thing, or another. Sapphira is one of those people you can know for years and never really _know_ them completely. She has mastered her carefree, young spirit, façade.

Somehow, I think Sapphira notices that I know about her system because she sends a look my way that is _daring _me to challenge her-or say something to Annie. Though I wouldn't dream of doing either.

When I've finished my water I fold the quilt Annie lent me and I head to the front door. "I should go visit Mags."

"And your mother," Annie reminds me.

"Her too. But I can come by later, I think."

"Come _anytime_ Fin. I mean it. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. I've been contemplating the pros and cons of getting a 'Finnick Odair Always Welcome' sign." She says with an 'Annie-like' giggle.

"You do that." I say, pushing open the front door.

"I think I will." And her eyes have just a touch of mischievousness in them making me wonder if she actually might.

* * *

**Hey! It's been soooooooooo long. Way too long for me, and probably you too. I'm sorry for the wait, but I hope this was worth it. I'm slowly unveiling the family members, and I need you to bear with me, next there's Mags and the Mom, and then I'm thinking the dynamic with Finnick and Annie way change toward more... romantic scenes. I'm excited. Thoughts on that?**

**Also, what do you think of Sapphira? She's one of my own characters, so obviously it's easy for me to get her in character, since I decided what her character is! But I want to hear what you think of her. Is she likeable? Do you like her personality? I have to say that I LOVE her ability to put the issues of Panem so 'eloquently' so that she doesn't get in trouble. It's fun to work with :). **

**Please please forgive me for the wait, and review on what you think. I tried to give Finnick a family, without actually giving him a support system, because in Catching Fire it said Mags was 'half his family' or something like that (Annie the other half?)**

**I know that was long, but I've missed you guys, so please review!**

**Thanks, **

**R&R**


	6. Discovery

Chapter 6

Discovery

I slip out onto the street, keeping my eyes focused on the ground and my head down, hoping no one will recognize me. I think last night might have been just enough to make me look terrible-sleep deprived, slightly insane-and I'm hoping that's enough to shield my identity in the time it takes me to get to Mags'.

It's only about 9:30 now, so most of the children are sleeping in, considering it's a Sunday, along with their parents, most of which do not have to work today. There's a few exceptions of course, such as the fishing boats, which go out every day, or the dock workers, who I can hear faintly in the distance, but there's no movement on the street.

I don't let that fool me, however. I learned a long time ago that not seeing anyone doesn't make it safe for me to walk down the street. There's always that chance someone will see me and come running down the street, with about thirty of her closest neighbors-all of whom happen to be female. You laugh, but believe me, it's happened. More than once, I might add.

I make it Mags' door within minutes, because she only lives around the Corner from Annie, her house next to mine in the Victor's Village. I knock lightly on the door, knowing that I'm more or less safe in the confines of the Victor's Village. Not many people would think to mob me here, considering this is practically my home, and they do have_ some _respect.

Mags answers quickly, throwing the door open with a smile on her face.

"Finnick!" She says warmly, pulling me into a hug. "How are you?" When she steps away from me her voice is tainted with worry. I know she's thinking of last night.

"I've certainly been better, but I'm fine now."

"Annie didn't say much over the phone, just that you weren't 'feeling well' and you 'needed to stay over', I read between the lines."

I nod. "Standard flashback scenario I guess." I shrug. "It's not like it hasn't happened before, and heaven knows it will happen again."

"But you're feeling better now right?" Mags is scrutinizing my expression, and I know she can spot a lie.

"Much better. I just needed to shake it off I guess."

"I think this has something to do with the reaping in a few months." She sighs, and an old, tired look comes in her eyes. Unfortunately it's the kind of tired no amount of sleep can cure. It's the kind of tired all victors carry with them. It's being tired of living the way you're living: constantly mentoring children about how to win a fight to the death, only to see them lose.

And no matter how many things you add to the list of what to teach next year's tribute, there's always something you forget.

I can't help but agree with her, "Probably. It's just not something I'm looking forward to."

"Finnick, no one looks forward to it."

I correct her softly, "No decent person looks forward to it."

There's nothing more to say on the subject. Flashbacks simply can't be helped, you either come to terms with that painful fact, or you turn to things that dull the pain. Drugs, alcohol, I've seen it all. But I'm determined to be stronger than that. The way I see it, if Mags can do it, after all these years, I should be able to as well.

"You should go see your mother. I spoke to her last night, and you know she worries about you so much."

"I'm going to do that right now. I'm going to Annie's later though, in case you need me for something."

Mags nods, and gazes out the window with an expression of wonder. "I don't know what you did to deserve her, but I know one thing. You owe that girl a lot more than your life."

I don't need to respond, she has my full agreement and she knows it. Annie is much too kind, too caring, too understanding to be associated with a murderer like myself. The selfish part is I know that without her I'd be lost. Completely, and hopelessly lost.

My thoughts are heavy when I trudge up to the door on my large house, one directly next to Mags' because we both live in the Victor's Village. These houses are truly extravagant, and it's almost more than I can take, but my mother loves it here, so I'm happy to keep it, if only for her happiness.

"Mom?" I call out, testing the waters, trying to figure out what sort of state she's in today.

"Finnick?" She comes out from the kitchen, her golden hair falling in disorderly curls around her face. Her blue-green eyes are slightly erratic, but I can see the true joy in them as she sees me. "Finnick!"

She flies to the front door to give me a hug, just before stepping back and trying to fix her apron, which had not only come untied from her neck, but had also begin slipping from her waist.

When she finally has somewhat organized her appearance she abruptly changes her mood, and tone. "Finnick I was so worried about you! You shouldn't abandon your mother. You can't just leave me here all alone." A panicked look enters her eyes, and I wish I could assure her she'd never be alone, but I can't.

"Mom, I wouldn't leave you alone if I didn't have to. It's Capitol business, you know that."

She starts to cry softly, which isn't really that surprising. "I though you'd left for good." She barely manages her whisper.

"I couldn't leave you Mom. You know I love you. Besides, I have to come home to eat." I laugh at my silly joke, and she even manages one of her breathy laughs.

"There's food in the kitchen." She settles onto the couch, completely forgetting whatever it was she had going on in there before I'd arrived. She seems a little dazed, and I know there isn't much I can do to gain her focus for now.

I poke around the kitchen before I find something to eat, and I eat quickly. Not so much because I'm hungry, but so that when Annie insists on cooking me lunch I can tell her I've already eaten. Truthfully. Heaven knows Annie is as good as Mags, if not better, when it comes to spotting lies.

I head upstairs to change clothes and shower and come down about a half hour later. I consider taking a nap on the couch, but only briefly, because I know sleeping isn't the best idea at the moment. Most of the time sleeping after I've had a night of flashbacks only makes the constant nightmares more vivid. I shudder at the thought.

It's sad to say that fighting in the games may not be the most terrifying experience victors ever have to go through. I'd say that flashbacks, and nightmares are worse. The subconscious mind works wonders when it comes to combining your worst possible fears, and the worst realities you've ever been in, in one nightmare. That very nightmare is what destroys people.

So, with sleep out of the question, I head downstairs, only to find my mother still staring at the TV. I know for a fact there's nothing interesting on, because there's never anything interesting on-unless you count the Games, which I don't. One glance tells me that she's watching some report about district 13. Apparently they've determined it's still unfit for human life. _Go figure._

I decide to tell her where I'm going, though I know it won't prevent one of her "you abandoned me" attacks. "Mom? I'm heading over to Annie's. I'll be back later."

"Mmhmm." I get a small nod, which is more confirmation that she hears my words than I normally get.

I step out onto the porch and brave the midday groups of people on my way to Annie's. I've taught myself to use back ways, especially when it's in the middle of the day like this. Even using back alleys and side streets I can still get noticed, so I'm careful to move fast.

It usually takes me about two minutes to get to Annie's-if I take the main street. Unfortunately taking the back way takes anywhere from five to seven minutes. Just as I round a corner near Annie's house I see a small girl, standing in the middle of the shady alley, with a long cut on her shoulder.

She's bleeding, but not heavily, so I'm not in a huge hurry to get to her. She seems to be about four or five, and there's no way she's older than six. The closer I get to her the stranger the situation becomes. She has black hair that hangs down her back, but it's stringy and clumped together. The eyes that examine me are startling blue, and they are much too old to belong to a child.

Her face is dirty, but that's not what scares me the most. Her face is pale, and her skin is taut against her cheekbones. Her eyes are slightly sunken into her tiny face, and she appears very ill. She looks so tired, as if she hasn't slept in days, and her face is looking more and more gaunt the longer I watch her. It occurs to me that she could be starving, because she's rail thin.

I return my gaze to the bleeding wound on her shoulder, which she's obviously focused on, because she still hasn't acknowledged my presence. I walk toward her cautiously, kneeling down a little ways from her.

"Hey," I say softly. "Need some help?"

She jerks her head up in shock, and her eyes widen at the sight of me. However I don't get the impression she knows me-Finnick Odair-but rather that she's worried _anyone _has seen her, and I don't know why. It's obvious the girl needs help.

She shakes her head furiously, and gives a small, but blatantly fake smile. She turns to go, but I can't watch her walk away, not like this, injured and sick looking.

"Please, don't go. I'm not going to tell anyone I saw you, if that's what you're worried about. I promise. I just think you could use a friend."

At the mention of the word friend she pauses, and slowly turns around. I can feel the weight of her gaze as she examines my face, judging my honesty no doubt. She has yet to say one word to me.

"I'm Finnick," I tell her softly. "I know you don't want anyone to see you, but I need to take you to a friends if I'm going to help you at all. Is that ok?"

She doesn't respond for a long minute, her eyes still watching me closely, searching for any hint of falsehood. For a child she's remarkably perceptive, and extremely cautious. Something tells me this girl has a story.

She nods, ever so slightly, and I get the sense that there is resignation in her acceptance of my offer. It's almost as if she has given up whatever hope she'd had before. I can't understand why she wouldn't want help.

"Alright then, follow me." She makes no move to come closer to me, which strikes me as odd. It would seem to me that a child would cling to an adult figure if she was in trouble, as this young girl clearly is. However, this girl simply keeps her distance, still evaluating me with her eyes, as she follows me to Annie's.

This young girl is extremely cautious, and I can't help but wonder why. A stray part of my mind wonders if maybe she'll talk to Annie. I guess I'm about to find out-because we've reached Annie's back door.

* * *

**Hello there! I know it has been so long, too long really, but I do have an excuse-not that you want one. I've had exams for the past few weeks and that literally means CRAMMING! Soo much cramming. It took a lot out of me, and I had next to no free time for writing. Have no fear though, I am officially updating regularly (as regularly as possible) now. It's been too long for me. I missed this story so much, and these characters. **

**Now you know so much more. You see that Mags hasn't had her stroke yet (well I hope you got that, but if not you do now! :) ) and you also got to see a little of Finnick's mom. She's not really a huge part of Finnick's life, but she's his mother and he loves her. Also... duh duh duuuuh! You met the newest addition to the story: OUR MYSTERY CHILD! I won't say much, or the cliffhanger-ish thing isn't as effective, but she's going to be interesting, trust me. **

**I hope you'll all forgive me for being gone so long. **

**Thanks for the support and patience**

**R&R**


	7. Their Shared Language

Chapter 7

Their Shared Language

"Hey Annie!" I call out from the other side of the door, an unusual tone coloring my voice. I'm sure Annie will pick up on it.

I hear some movement on the other side of the door, but after a brief moment of waiting Annie swings the back door open in a flutter of movement.

She turns her back from the door as instantly as she opened it muttering all the while, "Finnick you know the door is always open." And turning her attention to the stove.

"I just didn't want to startle you. Listen, I was hoping for some help," I say stepping into the house, motioning for the little girl to follow me. She does so without hesitation, seeing something that I must not. Or maybe it's just Annie, children seem at ease with her.

Annie must hear the strange tone in my voice-serious for once instead of jovial-and she turns to face me. The little girl is quietly shutting the door when Annie locks eyes with me. "What is it Finnick?" She looks oddly concerned and it occurs to me that she probably can't see the girl, who is standing somewhat behind me.

I step to the side a little, exposing the tiny girl's haggard body. "I thought you might be able to help my friend here." I keep a smile on my face, trying to reassure the girl, but I'm worried about her.

Annie's green eyes flicker down to the girl beside me. In an instant she's taken in the situation and she knows what to do. A bright smile lights up her face, directed at the little girl, who seems oddly frightened, and at ease at the moment.

"Hello there little one." Annie takes a step closer to us, kneeling down before the girl and speaking gently. She eyes the cut on the small child's shoulder obviously, before raising her hands toward it, a way of asking a question. "Do you mind if I survey the damage?" She asks lightly, putting her motions into words. Whatever language this girl speaks, it's apparent Annie is fluent in it. It's their shared language.

The girl doesn't watch her nearly as long as she watched me. There's an almost instant trust between the two of them, which only tells me one thing: this child is an accurate judge of character. Annie could get along with anyone. The child nods definitively, and Annie tenderly brushes away the cloth of her shirt to get a better view at the wound.

It's not terribly deep, from what I can tell, but it's a long cut and it's going to leave a nasty scar. Annie's careful eyes take in the severity of the wound quickly, and I see her smile return. "Oh it's not too bad. Won't be long before you're back out playing on the beach."

The girl hasn't smiled yet, but she isn't frowning either. Annie motions to the table in the kitchen. "Do you mind having a seat for me?" The girl looks uneasy. "It will be easier for me, you see, if I can set things down while I work." Her tone is comforting, but she isn't speaking to the child as though she cannot understand. It's clear to both Annie and I that she can.

The girl nods a little, and I can see that Annie is playing her just right. The girl doesn't want to impose, so Annie had to make it seem as if her sitting was going to help Annie out. If the child knew Annie a little better she'd know that Annie rarely did things to help herself. Others seemed to be higher on Annie's list of priorities.

The girl sits on a kitchen chair, positioning herself with her left side leaning on the back of her chair, exposing the long gash from her right shoulder the center of her back. It occurs to me for the first time that a girl this young should probably be crying about her injuries, but this girl seems indifferent to her pain.

Annie comes to the table, toting a bowl of warm water, and a few washrags, as well as a roll of white bandages, and some sort of salve. She sets out all the supplies on the table, as promised, and pulls a chair up right behind the girl.

"First things first, I'm going to have to cut away some of your shirt ok? Don't worry I'll give you a new one when I'm finished." The girl nods. Annie pulls out a knife and cuts away some of the fabric surrounding the wound. The girl doesn't even flinch.

"I'm going to try and be real gentle ok?" This is Annie's way of telling her it will probably hurt.

The girl just shrugs. Annie shoots me a look, eyebrows raised, and I can read the question in her eyes, 'does she talk?' I can only raise my shoulders in an 'I don't know' fashion, because I have no answer to give.

Annie dampens one of the rags, and begins to wipe away the blood surrounding the cut, so that she can see it better. Then she presses the rag into the cut itself cleaning out any debris and hopefully killing or preventing infection. She works on cleaning the wound for about five minutes before she sits back, watching to see if it's going to start bleeding again.

After about thirty seconds all she sees is a tiny bit of blood trickling down the length of the slice and she speaks to the girl again. "It's nothing too bad. I'm going to put some medicine and a bandage on it. Now that I've got the bleeding mostly stopped I don't think I'll have to worry about you bleeding through it. Is that ok?" The girl nods in response.

Annie works quickly, rubbing the ointment into the cut-the girl still not making a sound, or even flinching in the slightest, and bandaging her up. When she's finished it actually looks quite official, almost as if a doctor had done it. It's pretty bad the Annie is so good at taking care of the injured. Between her foot, me last night (even if that was more emotional than physical), and this girl now, Annie is practically operating a full-scale clinic!

"There," She says, leaning back, pleased with her work. "All done. How do you feel? Better?" I don't even know if Annie is phrasing her questions in a 'yes or no' format on purpose. She always seems to know the best way to interact with people.

The tiny girl spins around to face Annie and nods, the thank you clearly on her face. However she brings both her hands to her heart and extends them slightly away from her body towards Annie, while nodding at her. It's her way of 'saying' thank you.

Annie understands this, of course, and smiles at the little girl. "Of course. You're welcome. Now, let's see what we can do about getting you some new clothes…" Annie trails of staring at the exit to the kitchen.

The girl freezes and shakes her head no. She makes her thank you gesture again but shakes her head, 'no more'.

"Nonsense," Annie dismisses her worries in the same way someone would have to dismiss Annie's. I should be taking notes because watching the way Annie treats this little girl is the same way someone would have to treat Annie in this situation. "I couldn't live with myself if I cut up your clothes and didn't replace them. Just wait right here."

Annie dashes down the hall, and returns with a few t-shirts that are much too big, and she smiles apologetically at the girl. "I'm sorry, it looks like you'll be stuck in t-shirt dresses for now, because my little sister is fifteen, and I think that makes her clothes just a _little_ too big for you." Annie sighs in mock dismay, "And here I though they'd fit you perfectly."

The girl smiles at Annie's attempt at humor, her almost colorless thin lips pulling over her teeth in a way that is just as sad as it is happy. Annie returns the smile flawlessly.

"You can choose whichever color you like." Annie hands the girl the small stack of t-shirts, "the bathroom is down the hall. First door." The little girl nods, unable to make her thank you hand motion because her hands are full.

Annie sees the thank you in her expression, "My pleasure." She tells her honestly.

The little girl makes her way to the bathroom and Annie comes over to me. As soon as we hear the bathroom door shut Annie whispers to me, "What's going on Finnick?"

"I don't know. I saw her on my way here. She was going to make a run for it-not sure why, but I could see it on her face-but I convinced her that I wouldn't tell anyone I saw her, and then I told her she looked like she needed a friend. I asked her if I could bring her to you, and she said yes. I'm not sure who she is, or where she came from."

"She's starving. I'm making her some food right now. Sit down, and don't ask questions, just eat the food that I put out, got it?"

I can tell the girl will be exiting the bathroom soon, and I'm in no position to be questioning Annie's logic now, so I nod and sit down.

I'm right and the little girl comes back thirty seconds later still wearing her black pants, but now wearing one of Sapphira's old t-shirts which hangs well below her knees, but not to the floor.

She takes the stack over to Annie and tries to give it to her but Annie just shakes her head, "Oh no! I gave those to you for a reason-you're keeping them."

The little girl furrows her brow in confusion and starts to shake her head, but Annie cuts her off. "I've been trying to get rid of those shirts for a while now, because Sapphira-my sister-needs new ones. They're too small for her now, but she won't go shopping because she says she 'still has the old ones'. The way I see it, if I give her old shirts to you she'll have to get new ones. You'll be helping me by taking them."

The girl nods, still looking uneasy about the gift. "Besides," Annie assures her. "You look great in them."

The girl smiles a little, and makes her motion for thank you. Annie nods and gestures for her to sit at the table. I'm surprised when the little girl doesn't object to her orders, she simply plops down.

I see Annie smiling triumphantly, because I can see what she's doing. What she's building up to.

Annie sets out a bowl of fruit moments later saying, "Both of you, help yourselves, it's going to spoil soon if I don't have someone eat it and it's just me and Sapphira here."

I take an apple from the bowl and say, "Thanks Annie." The girl makes her thank you hand motion again, and hesitantly takes an orange from the bowl of fruit.

She peels it slowly, setting the pieces of peel on the table in a neat pile. She eats the orange a little at a time, but it's clear she hasn't had food to eat in a long while.

As soon as I'm finished with my apple I take another piece of fruit, and another, and the girl follows my lead, eating an apple, and a peach. Annie comes back over to the table with a small tray of vegetables saying, "I almost forgot about this! You should eat it too, it'll spoil if no one eats it."

I take some of this as well, but the little girl doesn't seem to be watching me anymore, so I slow down. She's getting more and more comfortable here.

I don't even realize Annie's heating up some soup until she's setting it on the table in front of the girl. I don't get any, which surprises me a little, but I don't question Annie's method.

"Here, you should finish this off for me too. I made it a few days ago, and Finnick isn't a big fan of leftovers, neither is Sapphira." I'm impressed at Annie's smooth lie. The little girl shakes her head a little, but her eyes are betraying her hunger. She pushes the bowl of warm soup towards Annie, her way of saying 'you should eat it'.

"I would," Annie admits, seeming to have expected her response. "But I just had some before you got here, and I don't really feel like eating anymore. And even I don't like eating the same thing twice in one day." From the expression on her face even I would have believed Annie.

The girl nods, and 'says' thank you, before digging in, eating the soup quickly.

The little girl may not see where this is heading, but I certainly do, and I suspect deep in her heart she knows where it's headed too.

* * *

**Hey! So we're uncovering things! Not only about our newest little friend, but about Annie and the way she works. I hope you like this chapter. It was fun for me to write and it was actually one of the simpler ones for me. Next chapter the little girl meets Sapphira, and we learn some more things about the child. **

**It should be interesting so please keep reading.**

**Thanks, **

**R&R**


	8. One Of Her Few Friends

Chapter 8

One Of Her Few Friends

Annie focuses solely on making it seem as though the little girl is helping Annie by doing things that will in the end, help the child grow stronger. Already it's become evident that she hadn't eaten in days, and there's a hint of color in her cheeks now.

She looks so small wearing Sapphira's old t-shirt, which literally threatens to swallow her small, sad looking body. She's still eating the very last little bit of the soup when Sapphira returns from wherever she was…

She just barely glances up into the kitchen before turning down the hall. "Odair's here! Go figure."

I smile lightly and shake my head, "I practically live here Sapph! Is it really still a surprise when you come home to find me in your kitchen?"

She disappears into her room for thirty seconds but I can still hear her muffled calls. "Unfortunately no…" She seems utterly distracted, and her voice is muffled, so I'd think she's changing clothes. When she reappears five seconds later, tugging an old sweatshirt over her head I see that I'm right.

"As much as I wish it was, it's no longer surprising when I see _you _in my house." Sapphira throws me a smirk. She has yet to see the little girl, who is watching her intently, with probing eyes that seem to see straight into a person.

"Oh…" She breathes a small exclamation of surprise when she sees the child, who opposite of my expectations, doesn't shrink under Sapphira's gaze. The little girl gives a small wave, her way of saying hi.

"Hello there." Sapphira says quietly, sitting in a chair right in front of her.

The girl just waves again.

"Who's this?" Sapphira directs the question at Annie and I, her intelligent eyes instantly understanding that the small child isn't one for speaking.

"One of Finnick's new friends." Annie answers easily, as if I bring home children like this all the time. A smile tugs at the little girls lips when she's referred to as a friend. I can't help but feel like she doesn't have many friends.

"Oh?" Sapphira turns to me, evaluating me lightly, before turning confidentially to the child. "Well, Finnick has lots of friends…" She looks over the little girls outfit appraisingly. "But I think you're my favorite." This makes the little girl smile widely. "And, you have my sense of style. I love it." This earns her a tiny laugh, the first sound the girl has made since I found her.

Annie chimes in, "I hate to say Fin, but I'm with Sapphira on this one. She's my favorite friend of yours." The little girl smiles again, but she's watching my face carefully, to see if I'm offended I realize suddenly, and with a burst of conviction. I smile to show her I'm not-that they're mostly just teasing.

"So," Sapphira looks at the girl closely. "What should we call you?"

The little girl seems to think about this for a minute, and then she raises her hand in a drawing motion. I realize quickly that she wants to write out her name for us. Annie understood this before even I did and instantly fishes out a paper and pencil for her.

She takes it and makes her motion for thank you before writing down, what I assume is her name, _RILLIA_. I smile, because it suits her. She looks like a Rillia.

Sapphira smiles, "Ril-li-ah." She tries out the name, and the little girl nods at her pronunciation. "It's a very pretty name." She makes her thank you hand motion. "Rillia, what brings you here?"

Rillia-who I'm beginning to see has a very literal sense of humor-points at me. The whole kitchen erupts in laughter, including Rillia's sweet sounding laughter.

"Well I knew you came with Finnick. What I meant was, where are your parents?"

Rillia's face crumples in sorrow, but she doesn't cry as she drags her right index finger across her throat. 'They're dead'. No one but Sapphira knows how to respond.

"I'm sorry, that must have been hard for you." Rillia shrugs, though it's clear it _was_ hard for her. Sapphira continues, "Where are you staying?" Rillia shakes her head no.

"No, you won't tell us? Or no, you have no where to stay?" Rillia holds up two fingers, indicating the second answer.

"Oh. Then what were you going to do?"

Rillia just shrugs, and I think that's her answer, but she continues, dragging her right index finger across her throat. Her answer is something along the lines of, 'I don't know, die.' I glance at Annie, who's standing in the kitchen and see a single tear trail down her cheek, before she hurriedly brushes it away.

Sapphira leans close to Rillia. "Then I'm glad you found a friend as good as Finnick today. We're not going to let that happen." Rillia starts to shake her head in protest but Sapphira isn't having it.

"We're a family here, and you can be a part of it." Sapphira's voice is calm, reassuring. "I want you to stay." Sapphira pauses and looks at Annie and I, "They want you to stay too. And you know what else?" Rillia shakes her head no, but it's clear she isn't planning on staying; she's only listening to Sapphira out of kindness-and uncharacteristic patience in a five year old. "I was a lot like you when I found Annie."

I raise my eyebrows, but don't comment on the story Sapphira is beginning to tell. Sapphira and Annie call themselves sisters, but I know they're not-biologically at least. Though I know they're not real sisters I was never told the story of how Sapphira came to live here with Annie.

I know it was around the time Annie lost her parents to a ship wreck, but I don't know the circumstances, other than the fact that Sapphira was orphaned and Annie's parents had left their sixteen year old the house, in the event of their death.

I came home from my Capitol business one day, and Annie's parents were gone, though she'd finished grieving long ago and Sapphira was already a part of the family. No questions asked.

Needless to say, this story is new information to me.

"My parents both died in a ship wreck when I was fourteen. It was the same ship wreck that killed Annie's parents as well, and I had no where to go. You're so much younger than me and it isn't fair that your parents were taken from you so early, after you'd had so little time with them, but I do know this: if there's one person you should trust it's her." Sapphira points at Annie who is wearing a sad smile.

"She brought me into this house, and she's called me her sister since that first day. She stuck up for me in school, and she kept me safe. Her parents left her this house so we had a place to live, and while she still had school she mooched money off her rich friend over there," Now she jerks her thumb toward me. "Now she's done with her school, but I'm not, and she has a job down the street. She ties fishing nets for a nice elderly woman who pays her well, but I'd be lying if I said most of our cash didn't come from moneybags over there.

"Do you know who he is?" Rillia shakes her head no, and looks at me. "He's a victor so he's very rich and he can support two whole families." Rillia's eyes widen and her small mouth opens in a tiny 'O' of shock. "I know, he seems to nice to be a victor, right? Just get to know him a little better." I can't help but smile at Sapphira. I'm not sure how much Rillia can understand but it seems like she's comprehending it all.

"My point is, she loves you already, I can see it on her face, and she'd be completely heartbroken if you left now. You're too young to be out on your own, even if you are smart-which I can see that you are. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you if you leave now Annie will probably never get another full night's sleep. That's how much she'll worry about you. Just ask Finnick."

Rillia turn's to me, her eyebrows raised, asking her question through gestures. "Oh Annie's a worrier all right. Last night she only got four hours of sleep because she was worrying about me-and I'm practically an adult."

"Sorry Fin," Annie chimes in from the kitchen. "Hate to burst your bubble but you're not even close to being an adult." She turns to Rillia addressing her semi-privately. "He's probably more of a child than you!" She throws her hands up in mock exasperation, and Rillia laughs-which I'm sure is the reaction Annie was hoping for.

Sapphira, however, is relentlessly pressing the girl for an answer. "Please? Please stay with us? I need Annie to sleep at night. If she doesn't she's a total crab."

"Am not!" Annie throws over her shoulder though she's already cleaning dishes at the sink. Apparently she sees something in Rillia's expression that the rest of us don't. I chalk it up to another one of their shared language things. Apparently Sapphira and I have a major language barrier to overcome. Now there'll be _two _Annie's, not just one.

"Are too." She leans even closer to Rillia and whispers, "Don't make me live with _that_." Her eyes are pleading, but I don't think it's going to make an ounce of difference to Rillia's decision.

She has already made up her mind.

* * *

**Oooh! Cliffhanger. Sorry, but I just had to do it. It was too tempting. Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it. We know more about Sapphira, and Annie now and we also know much more about our new friend Rillia. Let me know what you think of her, and what you think she's going to chose-I'm sure she'll surprise you. She even surprised me, and I'm the one writing what she does down. I guess that's the problem with characters who do things without your permission in your head. **

**Anyways, now that you all think I'm crazy, I just want to say thanks for reading and please review. **

**Thanks, **

**R&R**


	9. Annie Can Blackmail?

Chapter 9

Annie Can Blackmail?

I can see in the set of her jaw that she's made a choice; unfortunately I can't tell _what _she's decided. I would be lying if I said I wasn't shocked when she turned to me, a question written all over her face.

I just look at her, waiting for her to voice-or rather, write-her question out for me to answer. Apparently this affects her choice. She scrawls the letters onto her piece of paper, her expression hard, but not upset. This clearly means a lot to her.

When Rillia holds up the piece of paper for me to see I can't help but be shocked, _'Why did you stop to help me?' _

_This?_ This is what she's based her decision on? Why I stopped to assist her? For a few moments my mind is blissfully blank, then all too soon it's full of possible responses. I know instinctively that all of them are wrong.

Saying, "you looked like you needed help," isn't going to make her stay, and neither is, "a little girl like you shouldn't be out in the world alone," _especially not this one_, would go unsaid. No. Rillia want a specific answer to my question, and I know as soon as the thought crosses my mind which answer is the 'right' answer.

"Because," I start, ignoring Annie and Sapphira's nervous glances. "You looked like you could use a friend." This doesn't challenge Rillia's fiercely independent nature and it also shows her that I don't think of her as some child-I think of her as a friend, not a bother.

She nods, once. Quick, definitive. I smile, and Sapphira exclaims, "You'll stay?"

Rillia nods once more, quick and simple, though she's smiling.

Sapphira begins to bounce like a little kid, excitement written all over her face. "Yay! Come on, I'll show you your new room! And then I can take you to the beach if you want." She's more excited than I thought she'd be, but I know Sapphira will make a wonderful older sister to Rillia.

Rillia smiles at Sapphira and follows her down the hall willingly.

I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that I'm _not _the reason a five year old decided not to accept the offer of joining a new family.

"She's one of us you know." Annie says softly, matter of fact, with a fond smile.

"What do you mean?" I'm genuinely curious.

"We're all messed up in our own special way."

"Oh?"

"Don't play dumb. You know it's true."

I just chuckle, feeling better now that Rillia has decided to stay.

"She looks up to you." Annie adds, even softer.

"You think so?" The idea scares me.

"I know so." Annie corrects easily. "I do too."

"Why's that?"

"Anyone who stops to help a little girl is worth my respect, and hers too."

This shocks me into silence-briefly. "You would have done the same thing, and you know it."

"Maybe, but I wasn't there. _You_ were. The way Rillia sees it _you _were there for her. That means a lot to people like us."

I smile at this comment, "Speaking of 'people like you', I need to learn how to speak your language. I feel like I missed half the conversation, because I don't speak Annie-Rillia language."

Annie laughs, "Silly Fin. _It's _a language you learn by living it, not studying it."

I frown in mock disappointment, "I should have know."

Annie fights a smile.

"Finnick!" Sapphira calls from the back bedroom.

"What?" I ask, somewhat confused.

"I think you're about to have a problem…"

"Come again?" I ask, already thinking of the list of things that could go wrong in this moment.

"There's a group of girls about to swarm the front door." Sapphira's biting back a laugh, and I even catch silent Rillia's trilling giggle.

_Are you kidding me? _"They have fruit baskets," Sapphira adds, as though that's some kind of consolation.

"Great," I'm sure my face is exhausted. It's been a while since this has happened, but no matter how far apart these spontaneous 'girl mobs' are it's never far enough.

"Finnick, I have an idea." Annie says, in a hushed voice.

"Oh?" I'm curious, because Annie never has been one for deception.

"Just…" She seems to be turning something over in her mind before she spits out, "Go to the back room with Rillia and Sapphira-but stay hidden."

"Alright," I shrug, trusting Annie's judgment completely.

"If you hear me screaming jump out the window." She tries to joke, but I'm not entirely convinced she can handle it.

"How about I send Sapphira out after you."

"Deal." She throws me a smile before I duck into the bedroom with the two waiting girls.

"What are _you _doing in here? Leaving our sister to fend off _your _horde of admirers?"

I shake my head, catching Rillia's wide smile at the word 'our'. She hadn't expected to be accepted so quickly, so fully. "No, no. She instructed me to come hide out here. I'm supposed to remain unseen so… pull the shades half way."

"Why not all the way?" Sapphira challenges.

"Because it's too conspicuous." Being a victor you learn to balance on the line of too conspicuous, and not conspicuous enough. You have to be just average enough-in the midst of all other victors-to be overlooked, in a way, by the Capitol.

With the shade half drawn I strain my ears to hear the conversation in the other room.

"Finnick's not feeling well girls. He _specifically _asked me to thank you, though." Annie's voice is friendly, but assertive. It leaves no room for negotiation, but she's playing it just right-by making them seem special. "You know," She comments idly, "I hear that fruit is great for the immune system."

This comment is followed by unintelligible girlish squeals that could mean anything from delight to disgust-it's _impossible _to tell without the corresponding facial expression. Sometimes even then I can't tell, girls are just that hard to figure out.

"I'm really sorry, he said 'no visitors'. Finnick isn't one to infect his fans."

"We don't mind." One girl's annoying voice rises above the others, though choruses of agreeing voices quickly follow it.

"I'm sorry, I'm operating under instructions." Annie's voice is still firm-though I can hear the friendliness slipping away with each girl's protest.

There's some kind of protest again. This time all traces of comradeship have vanished from Annie's voice. She's completely hostile in her response.

"It's time for you to leave."

Sapphira poses by the door, ready to head out to Annie's aid at first sign of necessity.

There's more protest, though it's murmured and most likely, more threatening.

"I assure you, I'm not joking. I've never been more serious."

I swear I hear the annoying voice say, "Yes, you have."

"Don't you _ever _speak about her that way again. And," I can hear Annie's step closer. I can see the confrontation in my mind. While Annie may be laid back usually she won't hesitate to pick a fight with someone who she thinks is asking for it.

"Or what?" One of the fan girls sneers.

"You. Don't. Want. To. Know." Annie's voice is like scissors, sharp and cutting.

"You don't scare us."

"I should." Annie's voice is simply stating a fact, though her hard, cold tone doesn't change. "And _you,_" I can see her eyes zeroing in on one of the girls. I nudge Sapphira lightly, though she shakes her head and mouths, 'she's got this'. In my heart, I know she does, but every instinct in my body is screaming 'protect her'.

Annie continues her statement, unaware of the situation in the back of the house. "If anyone here should worry, it's you." Since when can Annie... _blackmail?_

The girl just huffs indignantly, from what I can hear at least.

"You know what I'm talking about. Now. Leave." I'm not used to this hard Annie. I'm not used to any Annie, aside from the protective, loving older sister that I know all too well, and the side of Annie that's reserved for me, and me alone.

I hear the door close, and I hear Annie move around floor, pulling the shades closed. I open the door slowly, and Sapphira follows my lead, both of us peering out of the room.

Annie laughs, "It's safe to come out now Fin."

I'm astonished. This, coming from the Annie who just seconds ago was ready for a fight. She obviously snaps out of things fast.

Sapphira sidles up beside her sister quickly, and they speak in hushed whispers. It irks me that I don't know what they're talking about. When I look down and see Rillia's expression I find I'm not the only irritated one.

"Hey, Sapph?"

She turns to me, exasperated. "What Finnick?"

"I think Rillia is feeling a little left out…"

Rillia promptly stomps on my foot, causing me to wince and chuckle all at once. She very distinctly points at me-_he's the one feeling left out._ I don't have to speak 'Rillia' perfectly to get the message.

"Oh, it's nothing." Sapphira says, shrugging the encounter off. Then she turns to Rillia, "It's like I said, Annie can be a real crab."

"Hey!" Annie protests, though her light hearted laugh proves she's not really arguing it.

"Come on Rill, let me show you my sea shell collection," Sapphira easily leads the happy child down the hall, prattling on about her favorite sea shells all the while.

When I hear the bedroom door shut I know it's safe to talk. "Annie, what just happened?"

Her smile falters, but only briefly. "Those girls said… something."

"About what?"

"Something Sapphira did. They were trying to blackmail her-through me. But they don't have any proof. Neither do I technically, but they're too stupid to see that I suppose."

"Annie?" My voice is prying and I know it, I want to know what I missed.

"While-while you were…gone, you know, in the Capitol for something, Sapphira sort of got into some trouble…"Annie trails off, and I can tell it's bad.

"How much trouble?"

"Not that much…" Annie's mumbling now, tell tale lie sign.

"Annie, what happened?"

"She… she beat a peacekeeper unconscious." I freeze in shock, my mouth falling open.

Does she have a death wish? She must.

"It's not that bad, I swear. She was just trying to help,"

"Help who?" I ask carefully.

"He was drunk, the peacekeeper, super drunk, and he had this girl cornered. Sapphira assures me she made sure something…_ bad_ was going to happen before she stepped in. She said she was just going to free the girl, but then the drunk peacekeeper threw a punch. Then, three solid punches later he was unconscious, and the next day, my reports tell me he had a massive hangover. He doesn't remember a thing."

"Then how do _those_ girls know about it?"

"Sapphira didn't realize she had an audience." I shrug. "But it's ok, we have something over them, one of the girls is into some serious drug dealing-morphling, and some other stuff, so we've been holding that over their heads. It seems to be working."

"Wow."

"You miss a lot Fin," Annie's statement isn't bitter, hurt, or even sad really. It's accepting, and I don't know which I'd prefer.

"I hate it." I say honestly. I imagine the expression on my face must be something unusual because Annie pulls me into a hug.

"You should learn to just accept things. Fighting them takes all the fight out of you, for when it really counts." Her statement, so simple, so utterly, innocently simple, makes me squeeze her tighter, as if she's keeping me sane-though I can't say I am totally sane anymore. Are any of us victors? I doubt it.

"Better?" Annie asks, loosening her grip on my waist and stepping away slightly.

I don't say anything, but I do miss her warmth, her comfort-instantly.

I don't know exactly what happens then, but it's as though some other force has taken over my body. Everything is moving too quickly, but also painstakingly slowly at the same time. I can't seem to stop what's happening, and I can't seem to find the will to _want_ to stop what's happening.

Then, all too quickly I'm kissing Annie, and she's kissing me. It's different, and new, and exciting. But it feels so… _right. _

Unfortunately, nearly every good thing in my life is accompanied by something…bad, so I can't help but thinking that _this _feeling right, will lead to something very, very wrong.

* * *

**Hey! So... YAY there it is. The first sign that Annie is really creeping up on Finnick, instead of their first 'surprise' kiss. Let me know what you think. I was trying to work it in there where I though you'd least expect it, but so that it still made sense. So he was being comforted by Annie and I literally thought 'alright enough's enough, just figure it out. You love this girl for pete's sakes!' so that's where this came from. Let me know if you don't like if, or if it seems OOC. **

**Right now I think it's ok though-surprisingly enough. Let me know what you think, and of course how you're liking the new addition Rillia. She's quite the character isn't she? Literally and figuratively :). (By the way, shout out to my friend who helped me pick the name Rillia-cute huh?-thanks!). And, as always Sapphira has a new layer... a sisterly layer, and even a protective side that got her into a little bit of trouble-well almost. **

**I know this is getting long, but for all my readers who like to VISUALIZE, please go to my profile page where you can see Annie's house layout (roughly). It's a link but there's a detailed description of my version of it. Feel free to check it out and PM me with questions/comments. **

**Thanks for reading, **

**R&R**


	10. A Life Spent Tryint To Forget

Chapter 10

A Life Spent Trying To Forget

Annie pulls away first, breathless, and looking at me confused. She steps further away from me, but she still can't form a sentence. It takes her a minute to regain her voice, "Finnick…this is _not_ a go-," Her voice catches. "A good idea." She finishes.

I don't say anything for a second, trying to find a way to disagree with her. "It's not necessarily a bad one," It's not very convincing.

"Yes it is," She hisses, "You know it is." She isn't being cruel; she's simply stating a fact.

"The-_they_ have no say in my personal life," I say quietly, thinking that in a perfect world that might be true. Unfortunately this is about as far from perfect as a world can get.

"They do Fin," She sighs, as if she wishes they didn't. "As much as I hate it you have to play this game by their rules. You know what that means. It's not safe."

"It's never been safe," I protest, not loudly, but firmly. "Us being around each other so much, it's _never _been safe. What difference will it make if we're a little more than friends? Besides, it's _never_ going to be safe. I can't be expected to be alone forever."

"Finnick," Her voice is sad, but still firm. I know what she's thinking: _this is only going to bring trouble._ Although I don't know if she's thinking the same thing as me when I think: _I wish there was a way to make it work._ "It's not safe for you to do this. It's not worth it, really."

I can't tell if she means _she's _not worth it, or _I'm _not worth it when she says 'it's'.

But, of course she'd be worried about how this would affect _me_, with no thought about how things would be for her. I sigh, wishing, not for the first time, that the Games hadn't made everything so complicated.

It isn't supposed to be this way. Winning is supposed to make life _simple. _A life of luxury. Unfortunately us victors live the life no one thinks about: a life spent trying to forget. What they don't show on the televisions, what no one but our closest friends (or, in Haymitch's case a bottle of hard liquor) ever sees is that forgetting is impossible.

As hard as we may try, as much as we wish we could pretend nothing happened, we're scarred. Permanently broken. The wounds go so deep that sometimes I feel like I would disappear with them-if there was a way to make them disappear. The pain that comes with winning is more than the sum of a victor's winnings for their entire life, because honestly, who picks the cost of 23 innocent lives? Who has the authority to say how much money is warranted by our constant trauma? Who decides that something as trivial as money may be able to whisk away our fear of sleep?

Even people like Johanna are plagued with nightmares. Any one of us with an ounce of decency is. We're haunted by the lost, but we're living half alive as the winners. And the worst part is that we still aren't free. Not all of us are like Johanna. We have a family. We can't throw our victor status around to get what we want when we want it-including something that blatantly breaks the law, as Johanna often does just for the heck of it.

Our loved ones are our downfall, at least in this instance. They are the hostages that allow the Capitol to manipulate us. We are, in all essences of the word, Capitol monkeys. We do as requested to protect our loved ones, who hold the final pieces of our sanity-our normalcy. And now the Capitol is taking away one of the only freedoms we really have in the districts.

Our right to be with whom we choose.

The anger at this realization comes on in full force and I can't stop the irritation that leaks into my voice. "It's not right Annie." My voice softens, "_I _want this, and you…" I trail off, unsure of her feelings at this point.

"I want it too Finnick. I started this, remember?" I do remember.

"That's just it Annie. You _didn't _start this. You sped it up, sure, but wouldn't this have happened anyways? Wouldn't we be like this without the Games? Granted I'd be slightly less messed up, but don't you think we'd be in the same position?"

"I'd hope we would. But that's not how things worked out is it?"

"No, it's not. The reality is that this is _our story_. As screwed up as it is, this is how it turned out. There shouldn't be anything complicated about it. I want this. You want it. Problem solved."

Annie just stares at me, her green eyes twinkling ever so slightly. I can't place why, but something I've said just now has softened her. Weakened her resolve.

"You…" She trails off. She steps forward and takes my hands, making me wish I could know what she's thinking. Her eyes meet mine and when she speaks her voice is serious. "You _really _want this." It's not so much a question, as an observation. "Don't you?"

"Yes. Annie it took me a while to realize it, not to mention you helping me along, but I care about you as _more _than a friend. I think that's obvious. But this isn't going to be dangerous for me. There isn't much they can do to me. You're the one who'd be in danger." I don't say what we're both probably thinking-if the Capitol hurt her, or Sapphira, or Rillia, it'd kill me, because it would be all my fault.

"No more than usual." She shrugs.

"Not to mention that this wouldn't be fair to you. It wouldn't be good for you. I can't do that to you."

"Who says secrets are a bad thing? So we have to stay behind the scenes, at least then I'd know you're never being anyone but yourself with me. It would be no different than when we were friends." She eyes me curiously, waiting for my response.

"Except that I'd get to kiss you." She smiles widely at my typical boyish response.

"Well there's that." She allows, now trying to fight back her smile. "But you can't feel guilty."

"Guilty?"

"You're going to have the same… fan base, because no one's going to know about us. You can't be upset with them, they don't know any better, and you're certainly not ugly." I can't bring myself to smile at this as the enormity of her statement sinks in. She's right. I'm still going to have to fight off hordes of female admirers, both here in 4, and in the Capitol.

"That's not fair to you." It's not a lie, I couldn't ask her to watch me flirt shamelessly with random girls who weren't… it takes me a second to find the word I'm looking for. _I couldn't ask her to watch me flirt shamelessly with random girls who weren't _her.

"It's not a problem. I'm not the jealous type. I'm worried about _you_." _Shocker._

"Why are you worried about me?"

"Because-" Annie's cut off by Sapphira and Rillia running down the hall and out the back door, both of them laughing.

Annie smiles widely, though her expression shows her shock. She moves to close the now open door, and she sees the two of them laughing and running down the beach.

"You were saying?" I prompt, drawing her out of her thoughts.

"I'm worried about you because I think you'll make yourself feel awful when you don't need to. I'm a big girl, I can handle whatever your fans decide to do, and I can handle whatever retaliation this brings from _them_, if they find out." She doesn't need to say who, I know that 'them' is the Capitol.

"You shouldn't have to." I say firmly, "But I know that you can. You're amazingly strong that way."

"Thank you." She says, a light blush coloring her cheeks.

"It's the truth." I shrug. "And you shouldn't have to deal with it."

"But I will. For you-sorry, for _us._ If, you're serious about this."

"Of course I am."

"Then we can make this work." She smiles at me, her vibrant emerald eyes shine.

I smile too. "Should we go check on Rillia and Sapph?"

"Probably. Let me get my shoes." She turns away from me already looking for her shoes.

"Wait," I catch her around the waist, drawing her close to me.

"For what?" I don't answer her-with words, that is. Instead I lean down and capture her lips with my own, in a brief, sweet kiss that conveys to her my happiness at the moment.

She's startled, but she responds quickly meeting my enthusiasm with joy of her own. As messed up as the situation is-big picture, this particular moment is perfect.

I pull away, albeit reluctantly, allowing us to catch our breaths. When I can manage a sentence I say, "For that." She smiles, remembering her question, and she raises her eyebrows at me. "I thought we deserved it." I shrug, defending myself.

"Then I guess that's reason enough." She smiles, giving me a light peck the lips before turning to go hunt down her sister_s_.

* * *

**Alright I'm back! I plan to be on here a while because I have devious plans for these two. I'm sorry I haven't updated in ages. I plan to update a lot over my Christmas break, so keep your eyes open. Also, I want to note that to go along with the cannon plot I have changed Finnick's age to eighteen, as opposed to the seventeen that was mentioned in chapter one-the issue has been changed there now. I hope you don' t mind the revision, it was necessary to stay with the books. I hope you all like this **  
**chapter, and if you don't let me know. **

**As much as I love this pair I am sorry to say it won't be smooth sailing from here. Quite the opposite really. :) Please don't hate me by the time I end the story I promise you'll be ok with the ending.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing. :D  
**


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